Contact: Marisa Lewis, 202-821-1694, mlewis@naruc.org

WASHINGTON (November 14, 2022) — In recognition of his efforts to advance effective regulation internationally, the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners honored Dan Scripps, chairman of the Michigan Public Service Commission, with the 2022 Terry Barnich Award at the Association’s 134^th Annual Meeting and Education Conference.

The prestigious award recognizes state commissioners and staff who promote international cooperation among utility regulators and the development of professional regulation. The award is named in honor of former chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission Terrence "Terry" Barnich, who served as chairman from 1989 to 1992. He was killed on Memorial Day, May 25, 2009, while working as the deputy director of the State Department office overseeing U.S. reconstruction projects in Iraq. The Terry Barnich Award is the highest honor bestowed by NARUC’s Committee on International Relations.

“Dan Scripps richly deserves the Barnich Award,” said Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission Chair David Danner. “Commissioners’ workloads are heavier than ever, and it is truly inspiring that Dan has committed to these important initiatives. His generosity of time and effort, spirit of service and deep experience are helping to ensure the success of the critical work NARUC is doing in the international sphere, both serving our nation’s international development efforts and improving the lives of people around the world who depend on safe and affordable energy services.”

Scripps is a graduate of Alma College and the University of Michigan Law School. He previously served in the Michigan House of Representatives, where he chaired the Banking and Financial Services committee and served on committees dealing with energy, telecommunications and environmental protection.

Prior to his appointment, Scripps worked for the Energy Foundation, where he coordinated policy and grantmaking strategies in the Midwest and Plains. He previously served as president of the Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council and as a vice president with Advanced Energy Economy, focusing on energy finance. As an attorney, he practiced law in the Washington, D.C., office of Latham & Watkins LLP, advising regulated utilities, project developers and financial institutions on cutting-edge domestic and international energy projects.

Scripps is a member of the Board of Directors at NARUC and serves on the Task Force on Emergency Preparedness, Recovery, and Resiliency. He is active with its Committees on Critical Infrastructure, Gas, and International Relations, and the Washington Action Program. In addition, he serves on the executive committee of the Organization of MISO States, is chair of MISO's Regional Expansion Criteria and Benefits Working Group and serves on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission-NARUC Joint Federal-State Task Force on Electric Transmission. He is also past president and current treasurer of the Mid-America Regulatory Conference.

He was designated as Chair of the Michigan Public Service Commission in July 2020 and has been an active participant in a number of state energy advisory groups, including the Upper Peninsula Energy Task Force, the Michigan Dam Safety Task Force and the Michigan Council on Climate Solutions.

When asked to emphasize  some of his key takeaways from participating in NARUC activities abroad, Scripps stated,  “As energy issues around the world so clearly demonstrate, we live in a global community that’s never been more interconnected. Having the opportunity to participate in NARUC’s international engagements has allowed me to both share our work on many of the same issues being faced by our regulatory peers from other countries, but also to learn from these international colleagues and see our shared energy challenges from a different perspective.”

To learn more about the award, visit www.naruc.org/barnichaward.

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About NARUC

NARUC is a non-profit organization founded in 1889 whose members include the governmental agencies that are engaged in the regulation of utilities and carriers in the fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. NARUC’s member agencies regulate telecommunications, energy, and water utilities. NARUC represents the interests of state public utility commissions before the three branches of the federal government.